Multiple Affected as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes A Delta Airlines Plane Arriving in Sydney, Australia

Several people have been injured following a Delta Airlines flight originating in LA to Sydney experienced turbulence this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Several cabin crew members required medical attention.

Local paramedics stated they assessed five patients, and took three to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that such as back pain and head pain. The injured spanned from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the newest example of commercial jets being hit by severe turbulence, with experts pointing out that global warming is a significant contributor.

On board were 245 people and 15 crew members on the wide-body jet, the representative noted, adding that the plane landed "safely and normally" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

Paramedics reported they got a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane landed, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

Why plane turbulence is becoming increasingly prevalent - and often stronger.

Last year, 25 people were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "severe" atmospheric disturbance just a couple of hours into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an emergency landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines flight experienced a terrifying short but intense of severe turbulence. An individual died and numerous people sustained injuries, as individuals not fastened in lifted out of their seats and fell back down.

Bumpy air is a common occurrence while flying, and while occurrences of rough conditions seem to be rising, they are statistically infrequent.

Data suggests that there are around five thousand cases of significant in-flight disturbance each year, out of a overall number of in excess of 35 million journeys that now take off around the world.

Severe turbulence is defined as when the sudden jolts of a jet passing through unstable air apply in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - a strong enough force to lift you out of your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.

As climate change modifies weather patterns, researchers alert that flying could become more turbulent: shifts in temperature and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are likely to increase the occurrence and strength of significant turbulence.